Albites Italian Opera: Crispino e la comare

“’The Cobbler and the Fairy’ is a delicious titbit of nonsense, and bubbles over in every sense with fun and contagious humor. The brothers Ricci, in their manufacture of it, must have drawn their inspiration from Momus himself, as the spirit of merriment breathes and laughs through it from beginning to end. Yet the presiding genius of fun was missed last night. Ronconi’s Crispino can never be replaced; and, although Orlandini sang better than ever the old veteran could have done, and infused into the rôle much vivacity and positive comic talent, yet it was hard for the audience to forget that wonderfully mobile face that alone so often threw them into convulsions. Leaving such a great exponent of humor aside, we cheerfully accord to Signor Orlandini the credit of having made a decided hit and a thorough success. Miss Kellogg’s Anetta is too well known to require extended comment here. It is one of the rôles in which she gained, previous to this season, her greatest triumphs, and led people to suppose that it was her legitimate line in opera. Coquetry, spirit and vivacity combine to make this impersonation a delightful treat. The rest of the cast—Caroselli as the Count, Reyna as Fabrizio, Mlle. Fontanesi as the Fairy, Bacelli as Mirabolano and Cucinotta as Don Asdrubal—do not call for special comment. The celebrated sestet, and exquisite ensemble, which is sufficient to make the success of any opera, received an overwhelming encore.”

“To a less brilliant audience than has usually been seen in the Academy of Music this season, the Albites company sang last night the pleasing and popular opera of ‘Crispino e la Comare.’ Miss Kellogg is always charming as Annetta, and last night she sang with all her usual grace and vivacity. Orlandini took the part of Crispino, and sang and acted with ease and a pleasant touch of humor, though the character in his hands possesses none of the individuality which marked its interpretation by Ronconi and Rovere. Other parts were sustained by Caroselli, Reina and Bacelli.”

“In view of the somewhat disjointed state of affairs at the Academy, and the far from satisfactory course of the representations hitherto, the unexpected success of Crispino on Monday evening was relished by the audience not merely for its own sake, but with all the added zest of surprise. It was no news to most of the audience that Miss Kellogg is excellent in light and florid music, but as Annetta perhaps she a little outdid herself, and the brilliant fioritura of the score afforded her a better chance than almost ever before for bringing out the best resources of her charming execution. Her acting, too, was more in the spirit of the part than in almost any of her delineations this season. A little more heartiness and élan, a little less consciousness of Miss Kellogg, would have put her acting in this delightful role will nigh on a par with her singing.

“Decidedly Sig. Orlandini does himself by far the most credit in comic opera. In the hurry, fun, and dash of buffo music, many minor defects of voice or method slip by comparatively unheeded. As the discontented and aspiring cobbler, Crispino, Sig. Orlandini so thoroughly threw himself into the spirit of both acting and music as to earn forgiveness from his severest critics. His tone seemed to us truer than usual, and his voice held out to the end without becoming vailed as in some instances heretofore.

“Reina and Bacelli rendered efficient assistance in the famous quarreling trio, and Signora Fontanesi was duly subterranean—not to say sepulchral—as La Comare. The chorus was of much the same stubborn and unregenerate disposition as usual, but unless the cheerful atmosphere of the whole evening misleads us the orchestra did on the whole somewhat temper its brazen ardors with the graces of moderation.”